1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to vehicles having an auxiliary storage compartment associated with the roof of the vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to an overhead console including a bin for storing a portable transmitter which operates a garage door opener.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrically operated garage door openers have become quite popular with automobile owners. Typically, a portable battery-powered transmitter is carried in the vehicle for selectively transmitting a radio signal for activating a garage door opening mechanism and/or other actuators. These portable transmitting units are often clipped to the visor, stored in the glove compartment or simply left lying on the seat or dashboard of the vehicle. Since such storage arrangements can be quite inconvenient for the driver, various transmitter storage compartments have been proposed where the transmitter can be activated inside the compartment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,228 to Chu discloses a compartment having a removable X-shaped cone arranged on the inside of the compartment door for engaging the actuator button of the transmitter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,974 to Vigneau et al., discloses a compartment door which supports a hinged lever having a pin that engages the transmitter actuator button.